Blades of Steel
by Alanna official
Summary: Melinda is a figure skater looking to earn herself a place on the Olympic team whilst completing her final year of college and managing her job as a barista. Phil is an insurance broker and a guy with a lack of luck in the relationship department. One failed date and one chance meeting is all it takes for their lives to change.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

 **This story has been bouncing around in my brain for about a year now and I finally succumbed and wrote it. I have serious commitment issues because I really shouldn't be starting a new multi-chapter but what the hell! The more Philinda the merrier. Please enjoy :)**

* * *

Looking down at the text message on his screen he sighs heavily before glancing at the two tickets in his other hand. Bailed out on or stood up, it feels the same. It's the third time that his same date has been unable to actually show up for their date and he's getting sick of being left alone and awkward. He's not an idiot, he can take a hint. Clearly the woman is not interested in meeting him. Which is fine. Really, it is… He just wishes she'd be upfront about it and say it to him outright. Stop wasting both of their time. Checking his watch he's got about five minutes until the competition is about to start so he needs to decide what he's going to do. Is he going to go home and be the sad loner and hermit that he could be, or is he going to hand in his ticket and be a confident single heterosexual male with no self esteem issues whatsoever? What would Captain America do he asks himself seriously? Stuffing one of the tickets into his pocket he walks up to the gate and passes his ticket to the guy there who scans the barcode before allowing him to enter. The tickets are for front row seats so he'll be damned if he's going to let them go to waste. Plus it's time that he started doing things for himself. Hurrying through to find his seat he can feel the chill of the air as well as the bubbling excitement of the crowd. Claiming his seat he sits forward eagerly as the lights dim and the competition begins. He's never been to an ice skating competition before but he finds himself enjoying it as he watches the skaters pull off moves that most people would only dream of being able to do. The crowd is mostly quiet as the music plays and the skaters perform their routines and it truly is an experience. Who would have thought that his non-date would turn out to be so exciting. The audience claps and cheers as the competitors make their entrances to perform after being announced but he notices how the crowd particularly erupts with applause and cries of excitement as one particular skater makes her entrance onto the ice. Melinda May. She's a beautiful young Chinese woman and he find himself in awe just as much as the rest of the audience. The way she moves on the ice is spectacular, flawless and with such grace and elegance he feels like the other girls don't stand a chance. There's more to it though he thinks as she quite literally flies past him, a small smirk playing at her lips as she moves in time to the music, a confidence and aura about her that just seems to draw people in. She's captivating and absolutely gorgeous and probably half the crowd is drooling over her. When she finishes her routine the crowd erupts once again in applause and he can feel the general atmosphere of disappointment as she skates off the rink and leaves them all with a dazzling smile. After she disappears the flowers and gifts from the crowd begin to hit the ice. Her gifts from the crowd are then collected up as they prepare the rink for the next competitor, but every performance after hers just doesn't compare in his eyes. Not even close. It's no surprise to anyone really when at the end of the day she is presented with the championship trophy, accepting it all with a gracious smile and short but sincere speech. The crowd is crazy for her and he doesn't blame them one bit. He can feel the sting in his cold hands as he claps loudly along with everyone else and he's grinning widely. Usually he's not really one to watch live sports other than the occasional basketball or baseball game, but this, he could get used to this.

The wind gusts heavily as she slams the door shut behind her before shrugging off her coat and removing her hat, gloves and scarf.

"Hey Mel!" Her friend and workmate Bobbi calls from where she's serving a customer at the till.

Bobbi is tall and blonde and stands out amongst the sea of people lined up at the counter. It's great when they ever go out to clubs because it's practically impossible to lose her friend in a crowd.

"Hey Bobbi," she replies as she slips in behind the counter to go around to the back to stash her things and put on her apron.

Making sure her apron is tied snugly ready for her shift she walks back out to the front behind the counter over to the coffee machine and drinks station. On her way she says hello to Trip who's in the kitchen whistling away happily. She smiles as she reaches the drinks station where Hunter is wiping down the counter.

"I got this covered, you can clock off," she tells him as she looks at the orders required and starts making the drinks.

"Thanks Mel," he says wearily and she gives him a sympathetic smile.

"Go," she says to him firmly as he lingers around a little, eyeing up the large crowd of people waiting for their orders making her roll her eyes.

"I can handle rush hour, now go!"

He throws her another thankful look before heading around to the back to drop of his apron and get his things before he leaves.

Moving through the familiar process of making up the drinks she thrives off the thrumming energy of the little coffee shop enjoying the frantic bustle a little and the fast paced environment. When rush hour is over though she does breathe a breath of relief as she can finally slow down and take a breather. Bobbi slides over to her as she serves the last waiting customer at the till and hands Melinda the order.

"So?" She asks with keen interest. "How did the competition go?"

A smirk tugs at Melinda's lips as she pours the milk in with the coffee before answering Bobbi. Placing it at the front of the counter she passes it off to Natasha who works as a waitress there and is also their friend.

"It went well," Melinda finally replies with a deliberately vague answer just to irritate her friend a little.

"Ugh! Mel!" Her friend groans punching her in the arm.

Unable to help herself Melinda lets out a short laugh at her friend's expense.

"What's going on?" Natasha asks as she brushes her short red hair back from her forehead leaning against the other side of the counter.

"Melinda's being deliberately ambiguous," Bobbi whines as Natasha and Melinda high five over her. "You guys suck!" She grumbles as Melinda bumps her hip against hers.

"Cheer up buttercup," she says teasingly "don't worry. I won."

The blonde's head shoots up at her word and she laughs at her stunned expression.

"You won!" She cries happily as she hugs Melinda almost picking her up of the ground since she is so tiny in comparison.

"I knew you could do it," Natasha says with a proud smile on her face.

It's nothing new really, she's won lots of skating competitions over the years but winning this competition means that she now has the chance to earn a spot for the upcoming Winter Olympics.

"We need to celebrate," Bobbi says squeezing her tightly before finally releasing her and placing her firmly back on her own two feet.

"Agreed," Natasha confirms with a nod of her head. "Nine o'clock tonight at The Playground. My treat," she winks at them before she is pulled away to clean up a freshly vacated table.

The Playground is an exclusive and high profile club that people line up for hours to get into. Knowing Natasha she probably knows someone who will let them in upon sight. Her theory is proven correct as they meet up and Natasha drags them over to the front of the line.

"God bless America," she tells the man at the door who barely bats an eyelid at them before stamping their hands and allowing them in.

Melinda glances down at the little Captain America shield on the back of her hand as she follows her friends. The place is blaring with music and the dancefloor is packed. Heading over to the bar they order drinks before going over to claim themselves a table.

"Tony," Natasha greets a suave looking man in a suit as he comes up to them.

"Ah, Natasha! Fancy seeing you here," he smiles as the redhead.

"This is Tony Stark," Natasha turns to her friends, "he owns this club."

Both women look a little surprised as they turn towards the man who can't possibly be more than thirty.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your lovely friends?" He asks winking at Melinda and Bobbi.

"Tony, this is Melinda and Bobbi," she gestures to each of her friends in turn, "be nice."

The glare she levels at him is half playful and half threatening though Tony seems completely unphased by it.

"A pleasure ladies," he says smoothly as he kisses the back of each of their hands.

Melinda raises her eyebrows questioningly at her friend and Natasha just mouths 'later' at her over Tony's head.

"What is the occasion for tonight?" He asks looking at them intently.

"We're celebrating," Bobbi answers slinging an arm around Melinda's shoulders.

"Melinda won Regionals for figure skating," Natasha elaborates as Tony gives Melinda an appraising look.

"Well," he claps his hands together, "since you are celebrating. All drinks for you ladies are on the house. Just tell my man Clint over at the bar that what happens in Budapest stays in Budapest."

He grins as if not so secretly pleased with himself.

"You got a thing about code phrases huh?" Melinda asks him with an amused twist of her lips.

"Can't help myself," he shrugs looking over his shoulder as someone calls out to him. "Well please enjoy yourselves tonight ladies, maybe I'll see you around," he smiles before leaving them to go deal with the person calling out to him.

Both Bobbi and Melinda give Natasha curious looks as the walk over to the bar after finishing their first drink.

"I knew him back in school," the redhead explains, "kept in touch so to speak, and so he considers me a friend."

Her friends continue to look at her astounded.

"And being the friend of an incredibly rich Tony Stark means that I get some perks," she adds with a cheeky smile.

They both raise an eyebrow at her as she plays it off cool.

"I'll say," Melinda mutters as they settle at the bar.

"Three shots please," Natasha says to the barman ordering for the three of them.

He smiles at her with a look that clearly signs him as trouble as he whips a tea towel over his shoulder.

"Oh and… what happens in Budapest stays in Budapest," she adds making it sound as if it were an afterthought.

A curious look from him is thrown at the three of them before he grabs a few shot glasses and a bottle of tequila.

"Comin' right up," he winks at Natasha.

"Oooh!" Both Bobbi and Melinda tease their friend.

"Flirting with the barman hey?" Bobbi grins at Natasha nudging her with her shoulder.

"You do know that we already have guaranteed free drinks for the night right?" Melinda asks her mock seriously.

"You guys are the worst wing women ever," the red head deadpans dryly with a sour look at her friends either side of her.

"Trust me, you don't need us as your wing women," Bobbi says with a pointed look at her friend whilst the attractive blonde barman places their shots in front of them."Melinda is the one that needs us as her wing women."

The comment earns the blonde a grin from the grizzly red head and an indignant 'hey' from Melinda on the other side of Natasha.

"I don't have a problem with guys," Melinda states giving them both a false wounded expression.

"Pft, when was the last time you got laid?" Natasha looked at her with a tilt of her head looking far too smug for Melinda's liking.

"I-"

"You're always too busy," Bobbi cuts in like she already knows what Melinda's answer was going to be.

"Yeah, between training and work and doing your last year of college," she pauses as if waiting for Melinda to deny that she's right, "we know how hard you work and how hectic your life is. Which is why we should all let off a little steam tonight."

Natasha places a hand on Melinda's shoulder squeezing it gently in reassurance.

"We're young, we're supposed to have fun," she smirks pushing a shot towards each of her friends on either side.

Rolling her eyes Melinda takes the shot with them, but inside she is touched that her friends actually care so much about her well being.

They do several more rounds of shots to loosen their inhibitions a bit before Natasha drags them all out onto the dancefloor. Clint watches them leave with an amused smile as he wipes down the bar and places a glass of scotch in front of his slightly downtrodden friend.

"Cheer up Phil," he tells him, "I'm sure next time will be for real."

His friend stares up at him in disbelief.

"Next time?" he raises an eyebrow, "Clint, she's bailed out on me three times already. There isn't going to be a next time."

Clapping a hand on his friend's shoulder Clint tries to be understanding. He's never had such terrible lady troubles like his poor mate Phil, fella just can't quite seem to catch a break.

"Hey, I'm sure there are plenty of great girls out there who would love to date you." he says trying to make him feel better.

He's not even lying though because Phil is a great guy, he just happens to have terrible luck when it comes to relationships.

"That's easy for you to say," his friend glances towards the dancefloor where the three young women from earlier had disappeared. "You don't have any trouble with women."

Clint can feel a slight flush creep up his neck at that, so his friend had seen him eying up the lovely redhead earlier.

"Just take a chance Phil," Clint shrugs not really knowing what other sort of advice he could give to his friend. "You gotta risk it for the biscuit."

He earns himself a strange look from his friend with that line, but it's true. Phil is definitely not going to be winning any hearts if he keeps his sorry ass on that bar stool looking like a sad sack.

"Get out there," Clint lifts his chin towards the dancefloor, "go find a nice girl or something."

Phil raises his eyebrows at him.

"Something?" he questions.

"What?" his friend responds like he is being unreasonable, "you need to get laid mate."

Phil sighs rubbing a hand over his eyes, he's not really a one night stand sort of a guy but… it has been a while since he last… Yeah. So maybe Clint's advice may not be as terrible, though he certainly should not be paying attention.

"Go!" Clint hits him with a tea towel tilting his head towards the dancefloor, "go!" he hits him again.

"Ah! I'm going" he waves an arm at his friend to stop his assault as he gets up from his seat.

Throwing one last dirty look at his all too smug friend, Phil disappears into the crowd of people on the dancefloor.

The ground seems to shake with the vibrations of the music as everyone crowds the dancefloor. It's awkward as he tries to find his own rhythm and space away from rubbing up against a total stranger. Dancing on his own though doesn't really make him feel any better, if anything it makes him feel worse seeing couples dancing together whilst he's on his lonesome trying not to look like a weirdo. After a song or two he gives up and tries to make his escape from the dancefloor, politely squishing through people grinding on one another. Trying not to touch anyone, he stumbles as a lady steps back into him as he passes and he trips towards the edge of the floor. His feet propel him forward as he struggles to keep his balance and he collides with another person much to his embarrassment. An endless stream of apologies flows from his lips as he rights himself and checks over the young woman to make sure that he didn't cause her any serious harm.

"Are you alright?" he asks worriedly as his eyes quickly take stock of her body checking for any damage before drifting up to her face.

Suddenly his mouth is dry and he feels at a loss for words as he looks at her. She's absolutely beautiful, breathtakingly so and he can't help himself from staring.

"I'm fine," she smiles at him and it lights up her face and his mind blanks for a moment.

"Uhh…" he can feel his cheeks reddening as he struggles to form intelligible words.

There is an amused sparkle in her warm brown eyes and her red painted lips are quirked up in a smirk. Still staring at her he feels like he's seen her before.

"Can I buy you a drink?" he suddenly blurts out and can hear his heart pounding in his chest.

She smiles at him again as she nods her head in agreement, long dark hair with soft waves spilling over her shoulders.

"I'd like that," she replies and he can feel relief surging through him.

They walk together over to the bar and he can't help but feel like it's all some sort of wonderful dream that he's about to wake up from any minute now, Her steps are even and graceful beside him despite the fact that she is wearing heels and a tight little black dress. It's a nice dress though, classy and stylish without being cheap. It's simple, backless with a halter neck and tight skirt, nothing over the top or showy. He orders a scotch for himself and is surprised when she asks for the same thing. Not many girls he's ever met have been into the same drinks he is. Clint serves them up their drinks with a not so subtle wink and Phil's not quite sure what to do now. They both take a sip of their drinks and she smiles at him again when she catches him staring.

"Melinda," she says tilting her head at him and it takes a minute for his brain to process what she's saying.

Melinda… her name! Gosh yes.

"Phil," replies trying to be smooth.

He doesn't pull it off though and he can tell by the raise of her eyebrow,

"Uhh… sorry for crashing into you back there," he rubs the back of his neck a little embarrassedly.

He's making such a hash of this, he should just shut up and let her get on with her night. She lets out a soft laugh though and he feels his heart skip a beat at the sound.

"It's fine," she reassures him, "no harm no foul."

"Oh thank God," he says and realises he's said it aloud when he hears the sound of her laughter again.

His eyes lift up to hers and for a moment he has the intense feeling of deja vu.

"I feel like I know you," he tells her quite honestly and she raises her eyebrows at him in surprise.

She definitely has no recollection of ever meeting him. Watching as she tucks a piece of hair behind her ear it suddenly clicks into place and he knows exactly where he knows her from.

"Melinda May?" he asks and she looks at him surprised with a hint of wariness in her eyes as he says her full name without her telling him.

"How do you know?" she asks him a little suspicious.

He flushes when he realises how weird and creepy he must sound.

"I'm sorry," he apologises for his strange behaviour, "I was at the figure skating regional championship on Saturday."

"Oh…" she responds, quite honestly surprised that someone would recognise her from her figure skating.

"I saw you, you were amazing, by far the best," he gushes and she can feel a slight blush creeping up her cheeks.

"Thank you," she tells him, touched by his enthusiasm.

It's not often that somebody recognises her as a figure skater.

"You're a big figure skating fan?" She asks because clearly why else would he remember her.

He shakes his head no and that surprises her further. She doesn't really know what to say or how to respond other than with a soft 'oh' and an almost awkward silence falls over them as they both sip at their drinks. As he focused intently on his drink she takes the time to study him. His eyes are a soft blue and he has a firm muscled back which she can see by the way his shirt pulls taut over his broad shoulders. He is definitely attractive and maybe, just maybe… Her cheeks flush red as he turns towards her and catches her checking him out. She's worried he might've picked up on the path her thoughts were taking and she bites her bottom lip a little nervously. There is an adorable little half smile on his lips as he looks at her and he can't help his eyes from drifting to her lips as she nibbles at her bottom lip in the sexiest way. He can hear Clint in his head telling him to make the move, risk it for the biscuit or in this case the heart of the most beautiful woman he's ever met. Twenty seconds he says to himself, twenty seconds of insane courage is all he needs.

"Melinda would you like to go out to dinner with me sometime?" He finally asks, tension now coiling in his stomach as he awaits her answer.

Her tongue peeks out to wet her lips as she smiles at him eyes sparkling.

"I would like that very much," she replies in a low voice.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **So that was a pretty long first chapter for me but I'm really excited about writing this AU. Please leave a comment and let me know what you thought or if you have any ideas or theories. I love hearing from you guys so please type me a little something in that box (you know the one). Comments are like sqee-worthy Philinda scenes without an LMD in the shot- long awaited and hard to come by.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** **I'm hoping to make these chapters longer when I update, so this also means that it will be longer between updates too. I hope you guys enjoy anyway, I for one am enjoying this story.**

* * *

Her hands smooth down the front of her dress for what must be about the twentieth time now. Frowning at herself in the mirror she tries to calm the nervous butterflies in her stomach. It's fine, perfectly fine. She can do this. Her fingers itch to run through her hair in her current state of stress but she can't because of the updo that her hair is currently in plus the amount of hair product she had to use to make it stay in that style. Nervously, her fingers twist themselves in the flowing skirt of her dress before she consciously stops herself and disentangles her fingers from it. Staring at herself she then contemplates whether the red dress is too much. Is she overdressed? Christ! What if she's under dressed? Glancing over at the clock she realises she's only got five minutes before Phil's due to pick her up, that's not enough time to change outfits. She'll just have to stick with what she's already wearing.

Taking a deep breath she attempts to settle her nerves before Phil arrives. In the three days since they arranged this date she's been in a fluctuating state of excitement and worry. As past relationships go, she doesn't exactly have the best track record. She knows that it's only a first date but she really wants it to go well and Phil seemed like such a nice guy when she met him. She manages to calm herself somewhat as she settles herself into a brief meditation before there is a knock on her door. Almost instantly her heart picks up and the butterflies are back and it's like she didn't just manage to calm her nerves moment ago. Chastising herself mentally as her hands smooth down the front of her dress again she reaches for the door and opens it with a twist of her wrist. Phil is standing in the other side and when he sees her his eyes widen a bit as he stares at her mouth agape slightly. She can feel herself blush under his gaze and she supposes maybe it was a good idea to stick with what she is wearing after all. He's dressed nicely in a crisp white shirt with the top few buttons undone and smart black slacks. His eyes drift over to hers and he knows that he wasn't the only one staring just then. How could any mortal man stop himself from staring at her he asks himself? The dress she's wearing is strapless, highlighting her figure perfectly with its loose flowing skirt and sweetheart neckline, and it shows her shoulders off in an elegant way. Her long dark hair is done up with just a few tendrils left out to frame her face nicely.

"Hi," he finally says and she smiles at him making his heartbeat race.

"Hi," she says back.

"You look beautiful," he tells her and finally remembers the single red rose he is holding in his hand. "This is for you."

She accepts it from him graciously and his fingers tingle from where her own brush against his as she takes the flower from his fingers.

"I'll just put this inside," she says before stepping back from the door and disappearing into her apartment.

He lingers by the doorway not quite sure whether to follow her in or wait outside. It doesn't really matter though because she's back before him in what must be less than a minute with her purse in hand and a nervous smile on her lips.

"Ready?" She asks looking at him with those beautiful dark eyes.

"Ready," he confirms as they walk out the door together and she locks up the apartment.

The elevator ride down to ground level is quiet and balances on the cusp of awkwardness as the doors ding open and he walks her over to his car. Surprise is shown on her face as he opens the door of the little red corvette for her.

"I used to work on her all the time with my dad when I was a kid," he tells her as he slides in beside her and starts up the engine.

"Her?" She raises an eyebrow and turns to him with an amused expression.

He blushes as if a little embarrassed before flicking his eyes from the road over to her.

"Her name's Lola," he says tapping his thumb on the steering wheel.

Her lips are curved into a teasing smirk and he just knows she is laughing at him even if she isn't doing it out loud.

"Nice to meet you Lola," she says running her hand lightly over the dashboard as if patting the car.

The movement catches his eye and for some reason her talking to his car causes a slow warmth to spread through his chest and down his arms making his fingers tingle in a good way like when they touched before.

The drive to the restaurant isn't too long and she allows him to open the car door for her and push her chair in as they sit down at their table. It's an elaborate place clearly intended for the upper class sort and Phil hopes he's not coming off too desperate in his desire to impress her. This is the first date he's had in awhile, not including his recent non-dates where his date failed to show or couldn't make it. There is soft classical music drifting through the room and there are candles on the table along with a vase of flowers and- my god, cloth napkins! They're both reading their menus and he can't help but use the moment to evaluate his surroundings and observe the beautiful young woman sitting across from him. He desperately tries to focus on the menu in front of him but for some reason his eyes keep drifting to Melinda sitting across from him. Clearly he's not the only one sneaking glances at the other as when his eyes flicker up they catch hers looking at him across the top of her menu. As if burned they both jerk slightly before averting their eyes to study their menus intently.

"What do you think you'll have?" She asks him eventually, pulling him out of his intense scrutiny of the main courses.

"I think I'll go for the stuffed peppers to start with," he shares putting his menu down to look at her.

She hums at him in agreement as she places her own menu down on the table.

"I'm going to have the caprese salad," she states.

He tips his head in agreement even though he's not a particularly big fan of salads.

"So ready to order?" He asks.

She smiles nodding her head in confirmation as he raises his hand to wave over a waiter. They both give the waiter their orders and Phil picks out a lovely wine to go with their meal. Their service is efficient and the meal is delicious as they talk and learn things about one another after gradually breaking the ice and losing their previous awkwardness. He is a massive Captain America nerd and loves history, she is brilliant at latte art and can speak several languages. His blue eyes sparkle in the most attractive way when he smiles and she has the cutest set of dimples when she laughs.

They take their time over dinner and she even lets him feed her a spoonful of tiramisu. His eyes follow as she licks her bottom lip clean and she watches his Adam's apple bob as he swallows. Somehow the food no longer has their interest and she sort of just wants to go home now, with Phil. The chemistry between them is undeniable and when he touches her hand she feels like she's been charged by a thousand lightning bolts. Phil signs for the check and pays for their meal before helping Melinda from her seat like the gentleman he is, and opening the door for her as they leave. The soft appreciative smile she gives him makes his heart beat faster and he knows without a doubt that he would do anything to make her smile. The car ride back to her apartment is quiet and they keep glancing at one another, occasionally locking eyes causing cheeks to flush and heart beats to flutter. It's like they're teenagers in love and it's been so long since she's felt this sort of a connection with anyone. It's only the first date she has to remind herself more than once. There is still so much she doesn't know about this wonderful man sitting beside her, but she's willing to find out more. She wants a second date, and a third and a fourth and whatever more she can have.

There is a smile on his lips as he walks her into her apartment building and travels up in the elevator with her back to her apartment.

"I've had an amazing night tonight," he tells her as they stop at her door.

Turning to face him her back presses lightly against the door as she looks up at him with a smile of her own.

"I had a great night too," she replies tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

His blue eyes are sparkling in that attractive way again and she so desperately wants to invite him in, maybe he could stay the night...but she knows she can't. Knows she won't. Even though they have a great connection and she really likes him, she still barely knows him. The memory of the pain from past loves is what keeps her from acting impulsively, but she feels that Phil is different from her previous partners. She wants to believe that he is anyway. Only time will tell.

Saying good night is always a little awkward a on the first date and she bites her lip a little nervously as her eyes flicker up to his waiting for his next move. Glancing down at his lips for the briefest of moments she wets her bottom lip almost as if in anticipation. Taking a small step forwards, he is closer to her, close enough to kiss and her heart begins to thump harder in her chest at the thought. A tentative hand reaches out to brush a few wayward strands of hair out of her face and she can feel herself practically leaning into his touch. His eyes hold a question in them as he gently cups her cheek in his hand leaning forward, so close. Is this ok? He waits, wanting her permission before continuing any further, and if she didn't want him so before, she definitely does now. Nodding her head she leans up towards him in answer. They close the short distance between them as their eyes flutter shut and then they are kissing and she could quite literally melt in his hands. A soft sigh escapes her and his hand around her waist holds her just a little bit tighter, the other around the back of her neck, fingers spearing into her hair. She presses a little closer into him and deepens the kiss just a little. It's perfect, and she's just a little bit disappointed when it ends. Rubbing a thumb gently over her cheek he smiles at her sweetly as her dark eyes slowly open to look at him. Smiling back, all she can think is 'wow'. She'd expected the kiss to be good but she hadn't been expecting that.

"Wow,"she breathes just a little breathlessly and he chuckles gazing at her with those crystal blue eyes.

"Yeah, wow," he echoes her softly.

The look he's giving her makes her heart race and causes a fluttery feeling in her stomach. She's never felt anything like this so quickly with someone before and she can tell what that means. She is screwed. She is so, well and truly screwed.

* * *

Natasha has not stopped throwing her curious looks since the minute she walked through the door and Bobbi when not swamped by customers has been just as curious.

"So how was your date?" Natasha asks her excitedly as the store finally calms down a little and there aren't any immediate customers.

Rolling her eyes Melinda continues to froth the milk as she purposely makes her friends wait just to mess with them.

"Fine," she eventually sighs causing Bobbi to punch her in the arm lightly.

"Spill, now," she orders firmly.

"It was nice," Melinda finally shares with them smiling a little at the memory. "Phil was really sweet and we had a great time."

Natasha smirks at her as if she can already tell how head over heels she already is for him.

"How was the kiss?" She asks slyly leaning in closer over the counter.

"Perfect," Melinda admits with the lightest of blushes covering her cheeks.

"Awww, somebody's smitten!" Bobbi teases playfully, earning herself a light shove from Melinda. "So when's your next date?"

"Tomorrow night," she tells them, excitement bubbling up inside her at the prospect of seeing Phil again soon.

"So soon," Natasha raises an eyebrow, "somebody must be eager to see you."

She shrugs her shoulders a little in response. She so desperately wants this to work out because she really likes Phil, she does, but she doesn't want to make the same mistake of jumping the gun and falling for the wrong guy. When it comes to Phil though she has a good feeling, he's so sweet and warm and caring, she can't help but feel that there is something special about him.

"Just be careful ok?" Bobbi turns to her with a serious look on her face, all traces of teasing gone. "We want the best for you Mel and don't want to see you get hurt again."

She pauses in making coffee to giver her friend a hug.

"I know," she says softly into her ear, holding her tight, touched by how they care so much about her.

She truly is so lucky to have them in her life.

"I will be careful," she reaffirms giving her friend a final squeeze before releasing her, "but I've got a good feeling about Phil. He's different from the rest."

Both her friends smile brightly at her, happy that's she's found someone that could be good for her.

"I hope this works out," Natasha pats her hand gently, an affectionate look on her face.

"Me too," she smiles, sincerely hoping that maybe she and Phil might just stand a chance.

The bell by the door jingles as it opens and all three women return back to their stations, work mode assumed once more. Slowly more and more customers begin to trickle in and soon they are working flat out trying to serve everyone in the afternoon rush. By the end of the shift they are all tired and about done with customers. Mornings and afternoons are by far the busiest times with people coming in for their morning wake up hit of caffeine followed by a pick me up later in the day. After working a ten hour shift Melinda feels practically dead on her feet and can't wait to go home and collapse into bed. She's been up since four thirty in the morning and she's had about five cups of coffee today. As soon as she shuts the door behind her she drops her keys in the bowl by the door, places her bag beside it and toes off her boots. Taking off her clothes as she heads towards the shower, she walks gently on feet sore and tired from standing all day. The hot water washing over her feels like bliss and afterwards leaves her feeling invigorated and a little less exhausted.

The muted sounds of the television follow her as she moves about the kitchen fixing herself up some dinner, the smells of chicken and vegetables wafting from the pan on the stove. Once it's all cooked she slides it into a bowl with some rice and takes it over to the table. Going back over to the kitchen counter she picks up her book and glass of water, a slice of lemon wedged between the ice cubes floating in it. Taking it all over to the table she sits down to have her meal and read her book. She's about halfway down the page when she hears her phone go off, alerting her to a new message. Marking her place on the page she gets back up again to swipe her phone from the counter. A small smile lifts the corners of her mouth as she reads the text.

 **Text:** I heard about your win at Regionals recently, congratulations my girl! Xx

 **Text:** _Thanks Peggy. Nick's been a good coach :)_

 **Text:** I should hope so. I trained him!

 **Text:** _Haha. It's not the same as having you but he's good._

 **Text:** I'm glad you're doing so well xx

 **Text:** _Nationals soon, hopefully I'll make the cut._

 **Text:** I'm sure you will! I have every faith in you.

 **Text:** _You and Steve still travelling?_

 **Text:** Yes, we're in Greece at the moment. Unfortunately I don't think we'll be back in time for Nationals :(

 **Text:** _That's alright. You and Steve enjoy your honeymoon :)_

 **Text:** We will, and we'll be thinking of you. Got to go. Will chat again later xx

Placing her phone down on the table she bites the edge of her lip. A part of her is disappointed that Peggy won't be able to make it to Nationals, but the rest of her is just really happy for her old mentor and coach. After all that Steve and Peggy have been through together, if anyone deserves some happiness and a wonderful honeymoon, it's them. She hopes though that if she does make it to the Olympics though, Peggy will be able to come and see her. It feels only right in a way that she should be there when she finally lives out her childhood dream since she was seven. Peggy was her first coach and there will always be a special little spot in her heart for her. She nurtured and guided her throughout her life, and Melinda would have no idea where she would be today if it hadn't been for Peggy. The woman had taken her under her wing and turned her clumsy, awkward seven year old skater self into a professional and successful figure skating champion. She owes a lot of her success to Peggy. Nick is her temporary coach though whilst Peggy is away. Though Peggy may have trained him, he is so very different from her coach. He's gruff and serious, full of hard stares and raised eyebrows. Sometimes she wonders how on earth he ended up under Peggy's tutelage. He just doesn't seem the type. Then there are moments when he shows a softer side, a smile when she perfects an element of her routine, a clap on the shoulder after a hard session. That's when she knows that his cold hard exterior is all just a bit of a show. He's a real softie inside she thinks secretly. There's something mysterious about him though and she's made it her mission to try and get to know as much about him as possible. He has a sense of humour she's discovered after he laughed amusedly at one of her pranks, she was so sure she was going to pay for that one. Luck was on her side that day. Sometimes he laughs at her jokes, other days he just stares at her and gives her a gruff order to concentrate on the ice. He's a bit of a fickle one, but he's grown on her.

Humming quietly to herself she washes up her dishes and wipes down the counter. Walking over to her living room area she flicks through a couple of the television channels before turning off the set and grabbing her book. Reading for about half an hour, she then checks the time before getting up to prepare herself to head to bed. She grins around the toothpaste and brush in her mouth as she receives a text from Nick.

 **Text:** Go to sleep kid, got an early start tomorrow. I want to see you there 5:30 sharp.

She rolls her eyes at the message because she's nothing if not punctual, and she usually follows her routine to the tee. Wake up, train, school, work maybe, train, sleep, repeat. He knows that, but it's his way of showing he cares she supposes. 'You have sweet dreams too,' she texts back along with a little kissy emoji just to mess with him. Spitting out her toothpaste and rinsing her mouth, she then leaves the bathroom with a grin and climbs into bed just as she receives a reply from him. It's a little smiling poo emoji and she laughs for a moment before shaking her head at him, clearly he's in a more relaxed mood tonight. Sometimes he just sends her back a full stop. Shaking her head one last time at him she plugs her phone into its charger by her bed, then snuggles under her blankets and closes her eyes. She has to wake up at 4:30 tomorrow.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **What did you guys think of their first date? Some new characters too, I want to know what you guys think about that... Please leave a comment, it's the food of authors. Gods have ambrosia, we authors have comments. Please leave a comment, don't let me starve :(**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note** **:** **Well it's definitely been a while since I updated this story and I really shouldn't be writing at the moment as I have exams in a week but oh well... I seem to always get hit with inspiration right when I should be studying for my exams. Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

"Again," Nick calls after her skates hit the ice and she trembles a little unsteadily before righting herself.

A small huff of breath escapes her as she circles back around, accelerating quickly before vaulting herself into the air, arms tucked in as her body spins. It's quiet except for the sound of her skates cutting the ice.

"Good," Nick says with a nod of his head to her as she balances well on her landing, finishing cleanly.

A small victorious smile pulls at her lips, with Nick being such a hard coach to please, his approval always makes her chest swell just a little. Skating over to the edge of the rink he places a gentle hand on her shoulder as she leans against the edge.

"You did good today kid," he tells her with a gruffness to his voice though she knows he's a big softie underneath, "now go cool down and then get your ass off to school. I'll see you this afternoon."

She rolls her eyes at his brusque manner as she heads over to do her cool down routine before going to the change rooms to follow his orders and get herself ready for school.

Pulling her braid free as she walks out of the change room she smiles as she sees Natasha waiting for her in the reception area.

"Hey," she smiles at her friend giving her a brief hug. "What are you doing here?"

Natasha smiles back handing her a brown paper bag and takeaway cup.

"Just finished up a ballet session near by and thought I could give you a lift to campus," her friend smiles as they walk out together.

"Thanks Nat," she looks at her friend appreciatively as she takes a sip of the green tea her friend had gotten her. "I didn't know you were back at ballet yet."

Nat shrugs her shoulders casually as she fishes her keys out of her pocket and unlocks her car.

"First session today, I'll see how I go."

Melinda nods along as she eats the breakfast her friend had so kindly bought for her.

"So how was training?" Nat asks as she starts up the car and backs out of the parking space.

"Good," Melinda says after swallowing the food in her mouth. "Nick actually gave me a compliment today."

Her friend mock gasps well aware of the gruff nature of Melinda's coach after the many recounts with which she had entertained them with.

"Must've been really good," Natasha smirks, flicking her eyes over to Melinda in the passenger's seat before back to the road.

"Yeah," Melinda nods thoughtfully before taking another sip of her tea, "just hoping I'll be good enough to make the cut."

"Mel," Natasha gives her a very serious look, "if you aren't worthy of going to the Olympics than I don't know who the hell is."

Her friend's solid belief in her makes her smile and a warmth spread through her. She's so lucky to have such good friends.

"So any idea about what's happening with this second date of yours?" Natasha asks after a while, breaking the momentary lapse of silence they had fallen into.

A small smile pulls at her lips just at the thought of seeing Phil again tonight.

"He's taking me to see a movie," she says lightly, "that new action one that came out."

"Oh," her friend says with interest, "I want to go see that one too. It looks good."

Melinda nods along in agreement, she and Nat have quite similar tastes in things usually. Freeing her seatbelt as her friend pulls up at the front of her college, she presses a brief kiss to Nat's cheek before opening the door.

"Thanks for breakfast and the lift," she tells her gratefully as her friend waves her off and tells her to have a good day.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't," Nat calls out the car window at her before driving off leaving Melinda rolling her eyes at her ridiculous friend.

Plus, there are a ton of things that Nat _would_ do that she wouldn't.

The rest of her day seems to drag on as she sits through her lecture and has to constantly remind herself to pay attention. It seems like she spends most of her time watching the clock rather than listening but then finally she is free. Spending some time at the library to study and work on her assignments, the day finally seems to pass time faster when she manages to focus her mind on her work. Her afternoon is then taken up by more training, and Nick seems to be in a happier mood after her good performance from the morning. He even lets out a short if very brief chuckle at one of her jokes which she tells him. She's made it her mission to tell him at least one joke a week to try and get him to laugh, though she hasn't succeeded in making him actually laugh. The closest she's got so far is a brief chuckle and even then she's not sure if it's because he's actually amused by the joke or just amused by her continual persistence to try to get him to laugh. Soon though she is on her way home and can't help the nervous excitement that bubbles up in her at the prospect of seeing Phil in just a couple of hours.

She opens the door with a slightly nervous smile tucking a loose piece of hair behind her ear.

"You look lovely," he tells her warmly causing a warmth to spread through her chest.

She's wearing a loose dark blue sweater and slim form fitting black jeans and flats, not too casual but comfortable enough to last through a movie.

"Thank you," she ducks her head causing the soft waves of her hair to fall over her shoulders as she reaches over to pick up her purse before locking up her apartment. "You look nice too," she tells him with a hint of a smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth. He's dressed simply but nicely in tan coloured chinos and a light blue tee which brings out the blue in his eyes. He lets out a short laugh at that making his blue eyes twinkle with amusement.

"Thank you," he replies running a hand almost self consciously through his hair.

They make general chit chat as he drives them over to the theatre and a feeling of ease settles over them as they become comfortable being in one another's presence once again. He grabs them popcorn and drinks as they get their tickets and she hugs the bucket of popcorn as he carries their drinks in as they take their seats and settle themselves in. The movie is long and packed with gunfights, car chases, explosions and amazingly choreographed fight scenes. She's on the edge of her seat right up until the very end and can't help the small breath of relief she lets out as the hero of the film makes it out to live another day, though likely not without scarring both physical and mental she thinks to herself.

He should be watching the movie, he knows that he really should be, but watching Melinda's reactions is far better than watching watching the actual film itself. She nibbles on her bottom lip during the tense moments filled with suspense and shifts forwards in her seat during the intense fight seats. Those seemed to be her favourites though, the fight scenes, which surprises him because she seems like such a gentle and adorable girl that he wouldn't have ever predicted her being one to enjoy violence, even if it is stylised. She turns to him with a happy and satisfied smile as the credits of the film scroll by on the screen and the lights gradually come back on.

"I take it you liked the movie?" He asks with a smile of his own.

She nods her head in confirmation.

"Even better than I expected," she adds.

"Well I'm glad you liked it," he can't help smiling at her.

Gosh just being around her makes him want to smile.

"Did you like it?" She tilts her head a little to the side in the most adorable way.

"I did," and the way she smiles at him at that makes him feel all warm inside.

He picks up their empty popcorn bucket and drink cups as they stand and make their way towards the exit. Throwing the rubbish into the bin near the door he feels her smaller hand slip into his as they slip out of the cinema and onto the street. Giving her fingers a gentle squeeze, he feels her squeeze back, a small slightly apprehensive smile on her lips. A smile forms on his lips and his eyes are filled with a tender warmth as he looks at her.

They walk the streets together hand in hand, just talking and learning more about one another. Stopping by a food truck on the edge of a park, they pick up something to eat as they stroll through the trees and shrubbery surrounding them.

"I used to climb a lot when I was a kid," Phil tells her with just a hint of nostalgia looking up at one of the large trees beside them.

"Really?" she turns to him raising her eyebrows in interest.

"Yeah, spent half my life up a tree," he laughs remembering his fond childhood memories spent in the branches of the large tree in his backyard.

"So I gather you're a good climber then?" she asks him with a playful glint in her eyes that he thinks will most likely lead to trouble.

"Yeah… I was," he says warily.

"Well let's see if you still have it in you," she smirks before untangling her fingers from his and walking over to the tree he was just looking at.

"Wait, Melinda-"

"Don't worry Phil, I'm an excellent climber," she smiles over her shoulder at him as she grabs hold of a branch near the bottom and pulls herself up.

He watches her, impressed, she climbs with such ease and grace he just knows that he's going to look like a clumsy idiot if he tries to climb up after. Settling herself on a branch she peers down at him from her high up position.

"You coming?" she tilts her head in that adorable way again and how can he refuse.

"Alright, alright," he grumbles to himself earning a delighted laugh from her way up above him.

You're going to regret this, a voice in the back of his head tells him as he hauls himself up onto the first branch. Ignoring it, he reaches for the next branch and the next and the next and soon he finds himself sitting up beside Melinda. Well, not so bad after all he thinks to himself.

"Little bit rough, but not bad," she tips her head at him jokingly critiquing his climbing ability with a teasing smile as he settles himself beside her, holding onto the tree tightly.

"It's been years since I climbed a tree," he looks around him taking in the view, "wow, it looks amazing up here."

"Yeah," she says softly beside him looking at the lights of the city out in front of them.

When they finally decide to come down from the tree he realises the important rule that he had known as a child but suddenly forgotten as an adult until now. It's always harder coming down than it was going up. Melinda doesn't seem to have any trouble at all as she nimbly works her way down, jumping off the last branch and landing with a soft thud. He watches her wishing he had the same level of grace and agility but he's really just glad that he managed to make it down without landing on his arse or breaking something. She laughs at him in amusement as he dusts himself off checking that he doesn't have any bark or leaves sticking to him. Running his hands through his hair he pauses as she moves closer to him as he lowers his hands. Gently she runs her fingers through his hair, brushing down the errant strands that had been sticking out.

"All better," she says with a smirk before noticing how close they are.

He smiles at her warmly, unable to help the way his eyes drift down to her soft pink lips. Clocking the shift in his gaze her body sways closer to his as she allows her hands to wander down from his hair to the nape of neck. The way he is looking at her sends jolts of electricity down her spine and the air between them feels like it's charged with a thousand bolts of lightning. Tilting her face up to him she lets her eyes flutter shut as he leans down towards her. The feel of his lips against hers is just as good and maybe even better than she remembers from their last date. He's gentle yet firm and she loves the feeling of his hand grasping her hair as he holds her close, his other hand resting on her waist as she lets her finger toy with the hair at the nape of his neck. He sucks gently on her bottom lip before they finally separate, but stay close together, foreheads resting against one another as they catch their breath. She presses another kiss to his lips too briefly, leaving him wanting more before she steps back out of his space and takes his hand to lead them out of the park. He follows after her with his heart thumping rapidly in his chest and can't quite keep the goofy smile off his face as he lightly squeezes her fingers interlinked with his.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **So... I hope you liked it. Please leave me a comment, maybe a prayer too, I'm going to need it for my exams. Feedback is always welcome :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** It's been ages between updates, I know and I do feel slightly bad about that but I have been on a kinda unofficial hiatus as I'm doing my final year of school so that's been taking up a lot of my time. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter :)

* * *

Rubbing a hand over his tired eyes he refrains from banging his head against the desk. It's only eleven in the morning and already he is ready to pack up and go home, leave this awful job behind him.

"You ok Phil?" Maria his co-worker and friend pops her head around the thin wall separating their cubicles.

"Yep," he replies, voice muffled by the desk which his head is now resting down upon.

"Annoying client?" She says with sympathy having experienced her own fair share of frustratingly irritating clients.

"Uh huh," he moves his head on the desk in a vague gesture of a nod.

Sometimes people can be really stupid, a fact that they have to deal with on a daily basis in their job.

"Guess some people shouldn't worry about insuring their brains?" she jokes trying to make light of the situation.

Usually Phil is so good at dealing with their… more difficult customers. He has a way of handling them that makes it seem so easy, but it looks like the idiots in the population have finally begun to take their toll on the great Phil Coulson.

"Is he hungover or dying?" Victoria Hand, their manager asks, casting a critical glance towards the slumped over Phil.

"Moronic clients," Maria answers in a voice akin to what one might use to tell a family that their loved one was terminally ill.

Victoria lets out a snort before taking a sip of the coffee in her hand, "well try to see to it that the damage isn't irreparable," she smirks before walking off in the direction of her office.

"At least the boss cares about your well being," Maria pokes Phil in the back as he stays slumped over his desk.

"Ermgh!" He grunts as her finger jabs painfully right between his shoulder blades. "Ah you crazy woman!" He bats her hands away as she continues poking him, straightening up in his chair.

"Ah good, you're alive," she smiles earning a glare from him.

"I just wish it was Saturday already," he whinges as Maria rolls her eyes.

"Why? It's not like you do anything exciting on your days off," she teases earning herself another glare.

"Hey, the Smithsonian is awesome alright," he defends, because of course anything related to Captain America is awesome.

"Right," she agrees sarcastically, drawing the word out.

"And actually," he adds with the slightest hint of a goofy grin on his face, "I have a date."

Maria's jaw drops open.

"What?! Tell me all the details.."

He laughs at her reaction and shakes his head teasingly, revenge for her poking him in the back.

"Philllll!" She draws his name out whining at him as he grins triumphantly.

Eventually he relents, unable to hold out on his friend for too long.

"Her name's Melinda and we've already been on two dates so far. I met her at the club that Clint works at, The Playground, but I actually first saw her when I went to a figure skating tournament the other week when my date bailed on me again."

"Oh, so she's into figure skating?" Maria raises her eyebrows in interest.

"You could say that," he shrugs with a shy smile, "I mean, she did win the tournament."

Maria's eyes widen in surprise as she punches him in the arm for holding that game changing piece of information back from her.

"Wait, so you have somehow managed to date a figure skater?" His friend asks incredulous.

He looks at her a little puzzled, not quite sure what the significance of dating a figure skater is. Regardless, he nods yes to her question.

"Damn," she smirks at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "I bet she's flexible," she winks.

"Maria!" He exclaims, playfully pushing his friend so she rolls a short distance away from him on her wheely desk chair. "I am a gentleman."

"Oh I'm sure," she agrees in a tone that suggests she thinks otherwise.

Throwing a mock scowl in her directions he rolls his eyes as his friend laughs finding herself hilarious. Once she finally calms herself down she rolls back over nudging his arm with her shoulder.

"So where did you take her for your dates?"

He smiles just thinking about it.

"For the first one, I took her to this lovely Italian restaurant, very fancy. I picked her up from her place and drove her in Lola, she liked the car," he has a dorky look on his face which makes Maria roll her eyes affectionately. "For our second date-"

"Wait, you didn't tell me how the first date ended," she interrupted sounding like he had committed the most horrendous of crimes.

"What? I just dropped her home afterwards, walked her up to her apartment and stuff," he shares, bewildered by his friend's horror.

"And stuff?" Maria asks with a face and tone of voice as if she were trying to weasel the truth out of a misbehaving child. "Really Phil?"

"Yeah," he shrugged, the slightest colouring of pink spreading across his cheeks, "I did kiss her goodnight if that's what you're trying to get at."

"Chaste peck or solid pash?"

"It was a good kiss," he shares as she punches him on the arm.

"Phil Coulson you dog! I had no idea you had game," she laughs, happy for him regardless of how much she might tease him, "so when can I meet her?"

He turns to look at her with eyebrows raised.

"Meet her?" He asks in an incredulous tone, "Maria, it's not like she and I are getting married. That's hardly the case, it's only been a few dates."

"Well I assume everything's going well since you're going to be having three dates in what, two weeks?"

"Don't jinx it yeah," he mumbles, actually now considering what might happen if he and Melinda were to continue and perhaps enter a somewhat serious relationship.

"Hey, I'm sure everything will work out for you," Maria says gently, placing a hand on his shoulder, "she'd be an idiot to pass up on you."

He smiles weakly at her caring attempt to soothe his sudden worries. He just really wants things to go well with Melinda, he likes her, a lot.

"Oh, look alive," Maria tells him before scooting back into her cubicle.

Lifting his head he can see his boss Victoria Hand approaching, her figure tall and imposing. So he pushes all thoughts of possible future relationships from his mind and focuses on his work.

* * *

Shutting down his computer, he releases a tired sigh as he picks up his bag and rises from his chair to head over towards the doors. Everyone else around him is doing the same and he feels a rush of satisfaction run through him at the thought that the next two days are the weekend.

"Hey," a voice says from behind him as a heavy hand clamps down on his shoulder.

He barely hides his grimace before turning to greet the owner of the hand.

"John," he replies with a twitch of his lips upwards in a failed attempt at a smile.

"Thank God it's Friday eh?" The other man grins, his hand still gripping Phil's shoulder almost painfully.

"Yeah," Phil mumbles rolling his shoulder so John gets the message to let him go.

Releasing his shoulder with a forceful pat on the back, John walks with him to the door.

"You got any plans Phil?"

He shrugs nonchalantly, not really too keen to share many personal details with John Garrett. The man is a big mouth and lacks the understanding of discrete.

"Just gonna enjoy some down time," he answers.

"Yeah yeah," John claps him on the back again, "how 'bout we go down to a bar tonight?"

Phil knows exactly what John means when he says 'go down to a bar' and he doesn't really feel like being his wingman tonight, or any other night.

"Sorry John," he tells the other man with what he hopes is a slightly regretful smile, "afraid I'm gonna have to pass tonight."

John looks at his with an expression of genuine shock, as if he can't quite comprehend why any man might not want to go out for drinks with him on a Friday night.

"Alright then," the main says raising his eyebrows and blowing out a deep breath, "your loss mate."

Phil nods as if he actually is sorry to be missing out on drinks with his loud mouthed colleague. Sometimes he's too nice for his own good he thinks. Regardless, as they leave the building John claps him on the shoulder once more before separating from him to go and find the nearest bar. Shaking his head, Phil pulls his keys from his pocket as he moves towards his car. The buzzing of his phone in his pocket distracts him for a moment as he pulls it out and looks at the screen to see a text from Melinda.

 _Looking forward to tomorrow :)_

He smiles at the message feeling a slow warmth spread through him as he taps out a reply.

 **Me too. How was your day?**

Waiting for a moment, he feels his heart increase slightly as he sees the three little dots pop up on the screen.

 _Busy -_- You?_

Nodding his head in agreement despite the fact that he is currently standing alone next to his car, he frowns at the realisation. He should actually get into his car he thinks to himself before unlocking the doors and sliding into the driver's seat.

 **Boring. Happy to be going home now :)**

Once again he waits, watching for those three little dots to appear.

 _Do you need to go? We can text later if you want._

A small breath of amusement escapes him as he reads her message. It's sweet and thoughtful he smiles dopily to himself. Catching a glance of himself in the rearview mirror he does a double take when he sees the expression on his face. Wait, does he seriously look like that in front of other people? The discovery leaves him more than a little shocked. It makes him want to slap a hand over his forehead and groan. Has he been subjecting the world to looking at this without his even knowing? This is embarrassing. Taking a deep calming breath, he tries to ignore the stupid thoughts filtering through his head as he taps out a reply.

 **About to drive home now. I'll text you when I get there ;)**

Locking his phone he puts it down before starting up the car and backing out. Luckily for him his workplace is not too far from his home, and within fifteen minutes he has his car parked in his parking spot outside his apartment. Phone in hand, he grabs his things out of his car and heads into the building. He texts Melinda again once he's settled back in his home and resting on the couch with a beer in hand.

They banter back and forth for a while and he finds himself enjoying it, her sense of humour making him laugh whilst he sits alone in his living room. It's been quite a while since he found a girl that he thought he might have the possibility of a future with, and he thinks that there is a chance for he and Melinda. True, it's still early days and they've only been on two dates, but already he feels comfortable around her. It's like some sort of instant connection between them, and definitely some undeniable attraction. Phil doesn't think he's the only one to be feeling it either, which is really positive for him. Unrequited love is probably one of the worst things that could ever happen to someone in life he reckons. It's painful, awkward and embarrassing, something which he knows firsthand. Melinda however seems just as eager and excited to be seeing him which he takes as a very good sign and just hopes that it will last. After all, according to Maria it is not everyday that a man is able to find himself a figure skater to date.

A knock on the door disturbs him from his thoughts however, and he pads over quietly on bare feet to open it.

"Phillip Coulson?" the person asks uncertainly.

"Yes," he answers with a slight hint of wariness in his tone, a puzzled frown knitting his brows together.

The man at his door opens up a bag and hands him a pizza.

"I didn't order this," Phil states as the man pushes the box into his hands.

"Well it's all payed for and you're the guy we were told to deliver it to," the pizza guy shrugs, "just enjoy the pizza dude."

He stands there a little dumbly for a moment as he watches the pizza guy walk away before retreating back into his apartment. Opening up the lid of the pizza, supreme with olives, he frowns at the fact that it's also his favourite pizza. It's weird, very weird. But then again perhaps he is trying to read too much into this. It could just be an honest mistake or a random case of coincidence. Telling himself he's being paranoid, he ignores the voice in the back of his mind that tells him that the chances of something like this happening for no reason are incredibly slim. Shrugging the matter off as just a weird case of coincidence, he grabs a plate and a slice of pizza. As the pizza guy said, he should just enjoy the pizza.

* * *

 **A/N**

Well... that was a bit of an unusual end. Please let me know what you think, reviews are greatly appreciated.


End file.
